Cityscape

About this board game

Cityscape is a quick city-building game for 2–4 players, with a playing time of about 10 minutes. Players secretly plan how they want to see the buildings in a completed city, then take turns adding blocks until the city is finished.

Before each city begins, every player sets a secret goal for each line of sight. Goals can include the number of buildings that will be visible or how many buildings will be equal in height. These private plans are recorded with dice as simple codes, keeping intentions hidden while construction takes place.

Players then add a block at a time to the rising city. Since everyone is shaping the same developing skyline, the final arrangement reflects the interaction of several players’ ambitions. The city’s completed views reveal whether those carefully chosen goals were achieved.

• Secret goals for each line of sight
• Dice used as simple codes for hidden plans
• Turn-based placement of blocks into a growing city
• Points awarded only when a goal is met exactly

Cityscape rewards subtle planning rather than obvious intentions. Choosing a goal with a higher potential score can be tempting, but making your plans too clear may give other players clues about what you are trying to accomplish. The challenge is to influence the city while concealing the views you need.

The more buildings you set out to see, the more points you can score—but only an exact match earns those points. That makes every placement meaningful and turns the final evaluation of the city into a test of prediction, restraint, and timing. Released in 2002, Cityscape offers a compact contest built around hidden objectives and a shared skyline.